Sewing Leather , How do you use a Quick Stitch Sewing Awl ??

[nilo52]

OKAY, I bought a hand powered device called a "quick stitch sewing awl" a few days ago. It holds the thread in an internal bobbin and runs the thread through an affixed needle. It came with 4 different needles and some kind of synthetic thread. My Question is ; how do you use the darn thing ?
The instructions are not very good I'm afraid , or conversely I am thick. If anyone has used this device please let me know how you fared with it . It looked like a nice gadget for sewing leather.
Thank You for your help !
Nilo52

[Humakt]

I've never heard of a 'Quick Stitch Sewing Awl' before.
Is it designed to be used with leather?
Could you post some pictures, or a link to it?

What knd of leather are you trying to stitch?
If it's just soft leather - the kind leather jackets are made of - then a normal household sewing machine (with a stronger needle) will do the job just fine.
If you are trying to stitch two, or more, pieces of 3mm veg tan leather then I tend to drill a small (0.5mm, or less) pilot hole using a Dremel with a modeller's drill bit and then use a normal hand awl to widen the hole as I stitch.

[AdrianRose]

Try this buddy.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=srNya2JJv-g

Ade

[jus_young]

Excellent linky Ade. Now subscribed to that one.

Something I would add to the method shown is pull a little extra thread through on the first hole and put a large needle on the end, something like a blunt ended wool needle, then it is easier to poke through the loops you will be making.

[CanadianMike]

It should be used for rough stitching to repair tarps and such, it doesn't make a nice stitch at all that I've found. I keep one in my pack as a just in case thing, but for sewing leather I use a separate awl to make the holes, strong blunt long eye needle and my Leatherman to push through. Much cleaner (almost machine like) more consistant stitches.

[butchthedog]

Some excellent info and advice there fella's.

[Al21]

I've had and used mine for years now, I like it a lot. As Mike says, it dosen't produce as neat a stitch as a marker, awl and two needles for leather work, but it's a lot quicker and can be used to make reasonable stitches with practise. Mine stays in my repair kit, but has been used on many projects over the years.

Al

[biker-bri]

Saddle stitch is the only way to go with medium to heavyweight leather, the quick stitch sewing awl produces the same kind of stitch as a sewing machine
which means that if one stitch breaks the rest can unravel whereas with saddle stitching this cant happen because every stitch is locked, it takes a bit of practice
but done right its very neat
Cheers Bri

[nilo52]

Thanks guy's !!

I thought I'd try it for $4.00 bucks, ( a fool and his money) but I guess I'll keep it as a quick fix in the field anyway.
I should have asked here before I got the thing ! :ashamed:
Nilo52